Society

Additives blamed for rising lymphoma cases

By Li Yao (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-05-16 09:29

BEIJING - Additives in food are one of the main reasons for the sharp rise in the number of people with malignant lymphoma cancer, according to an expert.

Wang Jinfen, a member of the lymphoma committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association, said at the 12th national symposium on lymphoma in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, that there have been at least 25,000 lymphoma cancer cases annually in China during the past decade.

Lymphoma cancer is responsible for about 1.5 deaths in every 100,000 and is ranked annually at around 12th place in the list of the nation's biggest killers, Wang added.

She said various food additives could be the cause for the rising rates of lymphoma cancer.

Other possible causes include hair dyes - which contain many carcinogens - and environmental pollutants such as pesticide residue, radioactive exposure and harmful chemical substances produced by interior decoration materials, she said.

She advised people to be aware of food safety problems and environmental hazards and undergo regular check-ups so the disease can be spotted early and people can seek prompt treatment.

Jiang Wenqi, chairman of the lymphoma committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association, told China Daily that the incidence of lymphoma cancer is steadily rising worldwide.

Jiang said developed countries had identified two high-risk age groups - people in their 20s and those in their 50s. However, in China, teenagers are also a high-risk group.

Jia Litao, an editor with the bi-monthly Journal of Leukemia and Lymphoma that is produced by the Chinese Medical Association, estimated that it can cost between 200,000 yuan ($30,800) and 300,000 yuan to treat someone with lymphoma cancer.